Hari OM All,
This week we started our class with prayers and discussed the preparation for the annual day presentation on Jun 12th. The class rehearsed a presentation on "Moral of Mahabharata for Today's Generation" which includes an analysis of various characters from the Mahabharata including Bhishma, Kunti etc. We plan to continue rehearsal in the next class also and then we will be recording it over Zoom.
Some additional notes on Mahabharata (from 5/1):
- On the 16th day of war, Karna defeats Satyaki, Nakula, Sahadeva, Bhima but spares their life due to Kunti's vow. On the 17th day, Karna and Shalya enter the battlefield ready to face Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Yudhisthira lies in his tent after being insulted by Karna and he admonishes Arjuna for not having done his duty yet. In the meantime, Bhima fulfills his vow by killing Dushasana viciously. The fateful duel begins and soon both Arjuna and Karna use divine astras. Karna aims a fatal shot at Arjuna's neck but Lord Krishna ensures that it misses. Karna's chariot then sinks into the ground and he is unable to remember the incantation for the Brahmastra. He laments these unfortunate events for having sealed his Fate and remembers the vows taken against him by the Brahmin and his own Guru. Lord Krishna says to Karna that this is the way things must go given all the circumstances and injustice done to the Pandavas. It is then finally that Arjuna kills Karna on Lord Krishna's command. Afterwards, Duryodhana is beyond himself in grief and visits Bhishma, who reveals to Duryodhana Karna's true identity as "Kaunteya" rather than "Radheya". Duryodhana is further grief-stricken that his dear friend would go to such great lengths to fight for him and give up his own life while still knowing his true identity.
- Salya is appointed as the next commander of the Kaurava Army on the 18th day and is killed by Yudhisthira in battle. Sakuni is killed by Nakula and Sahadeva. After all this, there are only 4 fighters on the entire Kaurava side remaining and Duryodhana in defeat goes to the Dwaipayana lake to end his own life. However, Yudhisthira finds Duryodhana and challenges him to one final battle. Bhima fights on the Pandavas' behalf and there is a terrible mace fight between Bhima and Duryodhana. Balarama is also present. Bhima is losing the fight to the very skilled Duryodhana when he sees Arjuna gesturing to his thigh. Bhima remembers his vow and commits a gruesome act by striking Duryodhana in the thigh, nearly killing him. Balarama is furious that the Pandavas would resort to such unrighteous fighting, but Lord Krishna says that all these are only right given the injustice faced by the Pandavas for so many years and the many wrongs done by Duryodhana.
- That night the five Pandava brothers and Lord Krishna go to sleep in the enemy camp, and Ashwattama in retaliation decides to set fire to the entire Pandava army while they are sleeping in a brutal midnight massacre. So many die in this terrible act of adharma, including Dhristadyumna and all of Draupadi's children. Draupadi desperately desires revenge on Ashwathama they fail Ashwatthama then tries to kill the Pandavas but Lord Krishna protects them and also protects the unborn child of Abhimanyu, who is still in the womb of Uttara and will be born as Parikshit. Lord Krishna snatches Ashwattama gem and also curses him to wander the world alone.
- We also covered in brief -
- #Stri Parva - Gandhari and other women Kauravas and Pandavas lament the dead and Gandhari cursing Krishna for the massive destruction and the extermination of the Kuru clan.
- #Shanti Parva - Bhishma instructions to Yudhisthira the newly anointed king on society, economics, and politics, and creation of Vishnu Sahasranama.
- #Ashramavasika Parva - The eventual deaths of Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunti in a forest fire when they were living in a hermitage in the Himalayas.
- #Mausala Parva - The materialization of Gandhari's curse, the infighting between the Yadavas with maces and the eventual destruction of the Yadavas.
- #Mahaprasthanika Parva - The great journey of Pandava and Draupadi across the whole country and finally their ascent of the great Himalayas where each Pandava falls except for Yudhishthira.
- #Svargarohana Parva - Yudhishthira's final test and going to svarga.
Pranaams!
Krishna and Sachin